Event

Bands

Our band for Saturday night party will be Antti Sarpila Swing Band. The clarinetist and saxophonist Antti Sarpila is Finland´s internationally best known jazz musician. He fell in love with jazz already as a child and started his own band at the age of 18. Antti Sarpila Swing Band has played together for over 35 years. Sarpila's father was one of the founders of the famous Pori Jazz Festival where Antti met world-famous musicians and got to learn from them. He has been known as a tireless proponent of traditional jazz ever since. Masters of the golden age of jazz from Louis Armstrong to Charlie Parker have influenced his music and personal style. Sarpila has performed as a solo artist in numerous jazz festivals and concerts all over the world. Read more.

Antti Sarpila playing at Korpo Sea Jazz 2015. Photo: Olli Sulin

DJs

DJ Sasha T.

"Hello there! This is Sasha T. on the air. This may surprise you, but I'm not just a teacher and a dancer. I got involved in DJing when I was 16 and that influenced my attitude to music. In the beginning it was electronic music, especially music from vinyl, but all of that changed when I got to know the amazing jazz and swing dance world. If you ask me what influenced my musical taste in jazz, I will answer Benny Goodman and clips from Bobby McGee's. But the world of jazz music is amazing. Every day I find something new that inspires me and my dance. That's why I love to share this as a DJ."

DJ Elisabeth Lilo B.

Elisabeth Lilo B. is an absolutely passionate balboa and swing dancer as well as teacher. She knows exactly how to keep the dance floor packed. Her music selection includes a broad range of genres: traditional classic style from the 30’s to 50’s, big bands from the swing era as well as newer sounds. She is always looking for new tunes and recordings. She favors clear rhythms and playful melodies – just great music for dancing all night long!

DJ Riikka

“Oh boy, I found balboa years and years ago. Even competed in the very first balboa competition in Finland: 2005 in Kotka. Ever since I’ve been having fun on the dance floor and with DJing. Because to me it is not about the style – balboa, lindy hop, boogie woogie, anything goes. When the music makes your heart sing, just get up and dance!”

DJ Adam

Adam has been DJing mean swing rhythms at home and abroad for 17 years. He will do his best in finding the most comfortable tunes and a few surprises suitable for the dance floor. Unofficially he is known as the hit-bitch of balboa, whatever that means.

Tasters

Marina Alekseeva & Alexander Tabakov

Marina Alekseeva has been dancing swing for more than 10 years. She started with boogie woogie and lindy hop in 2006 but during the last six years balboa has become her true passion and love. Marina has more than six years of experience in teaching swing dances. She has been many times a finalist in numerous swing dance competitions.

Alexander Tabakov started dancing when he was six years old and has studied choreography for nine years. He got to know the amazing world of jazz and swing dance in Moscow and since 2015 he has been teaching balboa and swing dances both in Moscow and at international master classes. He is a frequent finalist and winner at Russian swing dance contests and has been awarded at competitions during All Balboa Weekend (USA) etc.

At their lessons Marina & Sasha pay special attention to the dialogue between partners combining authentic balboa movements and modern ideas. Their Scandinavian Shuffle taster class is built around the theme of partner contact and communication: “At this class we will work on leadable steps in close position and finding a comfortable and clear connection. Because in balboa we have one body and four legs.”